The Magical Fiddle: How Monkey Escaped the Gallows - African Folk Tale

Hunger and want forced Monkey one day to forsake his land and seek elsewhere among strangers for much-needed work. Bulbs, earth beans, scorpions, insects, and such things were completely exhausted in his own land. But fortunately, he received shelter for the time being with a great uncle of his, Orang-Utan, who lived in another part of the country.

When he had worked for quite a while, he wanted to return home. As recompense, his great uncle gave him a fiddle and a bow and arrow, telling him that with the bow and arrow he could hit and kill anything he desired, and with the fiddle he could force anything to dance.

The first creature he met upon his return to his own land was Brother Wolf. This old fellow told him all the news and mentioned that since early morning he had been attempting to stalk a deer, but all in vain.

Then Monkey described all the wonders of the bow and arrow that he carried on his back and assured Wolf that if he could see the deer, he would bring it down for him. When Wolf showed him the deer, Monkey took aim, and down fell the deer.

They made a good meal together, but instead of being thankful, jealousy overcame Wolf, and he begged for the bow and arrow. When Monkey refused to give it to him, Wolf began to threaten him with his greater strength. So when Jackal passed by, Wolf told him that Monkey had stolen his bow and arrow.

After Jackal had heard both sides of the story, he declared himself unqualified to settle the case alone and proposed that they bring the matter to the court of Lion, Tiger, and the other animals. In the meantime, he declared he would take possession of the disputed items to keep them safe, as he said. But he immediately used them to bring down all the game that was available, so there was a long period of hunting before Monkey and Wolf agreed to take the matter to court.

Monkey's evidence was weak, and to make matters worse, Jackal's testimony was against him. Jackal thought that this way it would be easier to obtain the bow and arrow from Wolf for himself.

And so the sentence fell against Monkey. Theft was considered a grave crime; he must hang.

The fiddle was still at his side, and he received as a last favor from the court the right to play a tune on it.

He was a master player of his time, and in addition to this came the wonderful power of his enchanted fiddle. Thus, when he struck the first note of "Cockcrow" upon it, the court began at once to show unusual and spontaneous liveliness, and before he reached the first waltzing turn of the old tune, the whole court was dancing like a whirlwind.

Over and over, quicker and quicker, sounded the tune of "Cockcrow" on the charmed fiddle, until some of the dancers, exhausted, fell down, although their feet kept moving to the rhythm. But Monkey, absorbed in his music, heard and saw nothing of what was happening around him. With his head placed lovingly against the instrument and his eyes half closed, he played on, keeping time with his foot.

Wolf was the first to cry out in pleading tones, breathlessly: "Please stop, Cousin Monkey! For love's sake, please stop!"

But Monkey did not even hear him. Over and over sounded the irresistible waltz of "Cockcrow."

After a while, Lion showed signs of fatigue, and when he had gone around once more with his young lioness wife, he growled as he passed Monkey: "My whole kingdom is yours, ape, if you just stop playing."

"I do not want it," answered Monkey, "but withdraw the sentence and give me my bow and arrow, and you, Wolf, acknowledge that you stole it from me."

"I acknowledge, I acknowledge!" cried Wolf, while Lion cried at the same instant that he withdrew the sentence.

Monkey gave them just a few more turns of "Cockcrow," gathered up his bow and arrow, and seated himself high up in the nearest camel thorn tree.

The court and other animals were so afraid that he might begin playing again that they hastily scattered to distant parts of the world.